Winter is back with a bang as widespread snow and sleet showers are poised bring the chill back to Coventry and Warwickshire.

The band of miserable, wintry weather will spread south-eastwards followed by a quickfire blast of Arctic air.

It comes before more turbulent conditions return towards the end of the working week.

The weather could be cold enough for prolonged periods of snow in places during the middle of the week, forecasters say.

Thankfully for city residents and those in Warwickshire, however, these flurries will only fall in the north.

Still, it will feel quite cold for all in the bitter wind chill.

The icy blast will really be felt on Wednesday with temperatures falling even though there will be some brighter spells.

Higher pressure positioned between Britain and Scandinavia, combined with a low in the Mediterranean, will lure the cold air from the north.

Brisk winds will make it feel quite blustery and it will remain windy on Thursday, especially in the east.

Temperatures may lift a little on Friday but there is the prospect of some heavy ​downpours.

It will start f​r​osty and rain will sweep in from the west and there is the chance of snow early on at higher levels before the ​mercury starts to inch upwards.

Some long-range forecast models suggest some dry, clear and bitterly cold weather settling over the UK during next week.

However, there is still some uncertainty over this prediction and confidence is quite low.

A spokesperson for The Weather Channel said: “It will turn cooler as the flow becomes north-westerly behind a cold front moving south-eastwards.

“It is set to be fairly dry on Tuesday and Thursday but very unsettled for Wednesday with some strong winds and rain. It will seem cool in the winds from midweek with the wind chill factor making it feel like -2C to -4C in the north.

“Further outbreaks of rain are expected to sweep across the country on Friday.”